Up at the Villa

This story is set in the period just before World War Two, just after Hitler invaded Austria. Mary Panton is an English woman of thirty years of age and has been a widow for one year. She married for love but made the mistake of marrying a drunken waster who, during their eight years of marriage, managed to spend most of his fortune. Now, with the estate finally settled, and the bills paid, Mary has just enough money to live on. Her friends, the Leonards, have kindly given her the use of their villa in Italy for a few months so that she can contemplate her future. This idyllic hideaway is located on a hill just outside Florence and from the garden she can see the city in all its beauty. Into this almost perfect life comes Sir Edgar Swift, a forty-three year old friend of her father who seems to have been in love with Mary since she was a teenager. Edgar promises companionship, stability and safety. Mary does not love him, but she is determined not to repeat the mistake of her first marriage. She does have affection for Edgar and it seems the two have a future together. But paradises do not really exist and happy endings are rare in life, and soon events will yet again spoil Mary Panton's life. This novella is just nine short chapters, but contains much to be thought about. There are no easy answers or 'pat' philosophies in the book. Instead the reader is left wondering just what were the 'right' choices for Mary, if indeed life allows for any such thing at all. The book has the themes of responsibility/irresponsibility, triviality verses depth of thought and being true to oneself. Most of all this book is about the fact that no-one is perfect. Maugham sketches his character with masterly skill and the story flows from event to event with easer, keeping the reader's attention throughout. Parts of the plot are both surprising and exciting and, most of all this book entertains. This story is about a lifestyle that, I think, was swept away by the war forever, so the book could be called 'historical fiction.' It is also about an upper class that is far from most reader's experience. Above all, though, this novella is about life in general and the issues described still remain relevant to the modern ordinary reader. Maugham is one of the lesser authors of twentieth century critical acclaim but this book is to me a gem and I have thus awarded it five stars.

This is the story of a young widow and three men, a respectable older gentlement who wants to marry her, a poor violin playing refugee, and a sexy rogue with a bad reputation. A brief affair and a death reveal the complexities of these four people. This is a beautifully crafted story.

La vida es correr riesgos, con esta frase termina la pequeña historia de Somerset Maugham, y a la luz de las cosas que me cuenta esta historia, creo que tiene razón. No se puede vivir una vida segura. Aun encerrándose dentro de una casa o en la prisión más segura. En la torre mas alta, estamos a merced de la muerte y de las enfermedades, de los problemas del día a día. Eso no significa que debamos vivir en el temor, saliendo a la calle con miedo sino que debemos prescindir de temores absurdos, pues si la muerte y la enfermedad nos pueden golpear en cualquier momento, si los problemas vienen solos, porque no afrontarlos de buen talante? De eso se trata esta historia, pues cuando nos negamos a correr riesgos y negamos nuestras pasiones en busca de seguridad, nos estamos negando a vivir.Esta pequeña historia escrita de una forma magistral por William Somerset Maugham, trata de una aventura poco común que le sucede a una persona convencional. La clase de cosas que le ocurren a una persona para que quizás despierte de su aletargamiento o vea que la vida no es solamente de un color.Mary Paton es una joven viuda que se va a Florencia a pasar una estancia en una villa que unos amigos le prestan. Ahí es donde esta cuando recibe a su viejo amigo de la infancia Edgar quien le propone matrimonio. Ella le pide tiempo y él le da tres días durante los cuales ella podrá pensarlo. Él piensa que ella dirá que si pues si fuese no, no tendría que pensarlo tanto. Pero en el transcurso de esos tres días suceden acontecimientos que cambian la manera de pensar de Mary y revelan el verdadero carácter de su novio. Hasta aquí esta bien con mi relato, no quiero quitarles el deseo de leer la obra contándoles todo lo que pasa.Luis Méndez

Somerset Maugham is a great story teller. Never pretentious or obscure, Maugham is a keen observer of human and social behaviour. His grasp of what makes people tick is instinctive, accurate and insightful. In "Up At The Villa", a straightforward novella in the romantic thriller genre, he doesn't miss a beat. His caricature of the self satisfied and prideful in Edgar Swift is a hoot ! Mary Panton, the novella's heroine, is flawed as a person but redeemed by compassion and principles. The film version takes a few liberties with the nationality of Rowley (he is English in the book but American in the movie) and embellishes the plot with twists and turns but remains faithfull enough to the spirit of the novel. The casting of Kristin Scott Thomas as Mary and James Fox as Edgar is also spot on. A quick and enjoyable read. Doesn't matter whether you read the book or watch the movie first.

A beautiful widow in her early 30s faces a choice between marrying a older man for monetary comfort or waiting for love. When given a weekend to make the choice, she meets two men: a brash American and a down-on-his luck stranger. In a matter of hours, everything changes. Written with plenty of suspense and old fashioned romance, Up in the Villa is a quick, worthy read for anyone who dreams of being swept off his or her feet.